Fall from grace
by CinnamonApples-X
Summary: Based on the promo for 4 x 07, so just a heads up on spoilers! Regina helps Emma control her magic.
1. Chapter 1

_**a/n: Hello! I thought I'd be brave and attempt my first Once Upon A Time fic! This is meant to be a one-shot, although depending on how it's received, I think I may be up for adding a second chapter, as I have an idea for where I'd like it to go. I was a little reluctant in writing one at first because I haven't wrote anything in such a long time! But also, it wasn't long ago that I had no idea what Once Upon A Time was! I started watching it around two months ago and I was completely hooked! I think I managed to watch all 3 seasons within two weeks, fell hopelessly in love with Emma&Regina and I'm now up to date eagerly awaiting 4 x 07! The idea for this fic is based on the promo we were given, so I should probably give a spoiler warning here. The rest is just an idea that came to me about how I'd like it to go. I'll stop rambling now, maybe give it a try and let me know what you think? :) **_

_"They'll see you as a threat. They won't want you."_

_"Stay back! I don't know if I can control it!"_

_"DAVID!"_

She couldn't outrun the voices. With every pound of her booted foot against the sot forest floor her heart gave a painful thud against her chest, her lungs burning with the effort to keep breathing.

Emma Swan was good at running from her problems. but this time was different. She was running with her problems, running for the safety of the town. Stopping in the middle of the woods she caught her breath. She should have carried on running. The image of David, half crushed under the post, his pained cries filling the air, Snow's horror at the scene that had unfolded, the way she'd looked at her daughter, almost fearfully. Those images would be forever burned into her mind, stronger than any magic she could conjure.

A Ferrell scream of frustration ripped through the air, so foreign that Emma wasn't even sure it was from her own mouth, until it was accompanied by ribbons of hot flames, which singed the surrounding area, burning the bark on the trees. birds screeching and taking off in all directions.

She as terrified to the point where bile rose in her throat, which she spat on the ground. Her arms were tense, fingertips rigid as she turned in a circle, surveying the damage she'd caused already. Smoke was drifting up into the air in lazy waves, the stench of burned wood heavy. Her eyes stung and watered, the sound of crackling flames becoming almost overwhelming.

"What have I done? What a I doing?" She whispered, staring down at her hands as though they were live grenades. Which she supposed they were, and she'd very much pulled the rings. They were unpredictable, they could go off at any second and as powerful as she was, she was powerless.

_"They'll take Henry away from you. You're not safe to be around. You're a monst-"_

"NO!" Emma screamed out loud in response to the imaginary voice in her head, and on raising her hand in an attempt to block it all out, a large, thick-trunked tree was torn from it roots and sent hurtling into the distance. Emma's third cry was caught in her throat as she took a step backwards, gasping for air in her panicked frenzy. She tripped. arms flailing, more lames more screeches of protest from woodland creatures. As she curled into a helpless ball, the sound of her torrent sobbing was almost enough to drown out the cracking of branches, the tearing of more forest that was uprooted from the ground at the hands of her turbulent magic.

"Mom! Are you in? Please open up!" Henry's frantic hammering on the Mifflin Manor door informed Regina that something bad had happened even before she'd seen the turmoil plastered all over her son's face.

"Henry! What?-" She was cut off as all the air was forced from her lungs, a direct result of the crushing hug Henry had enveloped her in.

"It's mom...It's Emma..." He was almost sobbing, Regina could barely make out what he was saying.

"Henry, look at me." She instructed softly, taking a step back so she could cup his cheeks, offering him a soothing smile which didn't meet her worried eyes.

"Emma's...She's...Gone crazy. She can't- Her magic-...David got hurt." Was all Henry could manage. his eyes wide with fear.

"Are you hurt?" Regina's immediate response was met with a shake of the head, and she brushed floppy brown hair back into place.

"Stay here, okay? Don't leave the house. It's going to be alright, I promise. I'm going to sort this." Truthfully, Regina didn't have the faintest idea what was going on or how she could solve it. Was Emma under some spell? Was it even really Emma that had seemingly terrorised the residents of Storybrooke? However, her first priority was the safety of their son and she knew that Emma, whatever state she was in, would want that too.

"Be careful." Henry whispered and Regina took in just how pale he was. Opening her arms, she wrapped him up into a second, comforting hug, pressing a reassuring kiss to the top of his head. "I'll be fine. It'll all be fine. I'll come straight back for you once this is sorted. I love you."

The first thing Regina noticed on appearing outside the station, was the gaping holes blown into the side of the buildings. She frowned and glanced at the surrounding area, which looked as though a localised tornado had torn through.

"Regina!"

She whipped around, pursing her lips as the pirate ran up to her, eyeliner galore, waiting for him to speak.

"Swan's in trouble. She almost had me headless and well as handless."

"Emma did this?" Regina raised her eyebrow, almost unable to comprehend that the Saviour had single handedly destroyed part of the town she worked so hard to protect.

"Something's happened to the lass. She took off into the woods but we thought it best not to follow her. David wasn't in a good way after the incident, he knocked me out of the way, but I think he'll be alright. Gold-"

"How long ago did she leave?" Regina cut across him, having no interest in that moment about the fate of Prince Charming.

"Maybe half an hour ago? No one wanted to follow her. We thought it best if she was left alone." He almost had the decency to look guilty, shuffling from one foot to the other, possibly ashamed that no one had dared to even attempt to see if the Sheriff was alright. "Can you do something?"

"It doesn't look like I have much choice, does it? I can't see the handless wonder racing to the rescue." With that, she was gone, leaving nothing behind but the traces of violet smoke and a dumbfounded pirate.

The smell hit her before her surroundings did. The purple fog may have cleared, but thick, grey smoke was heavy in the air. Flecks of ash were floating in the air, settling starkly in chocolate brown locks. In thankfully low-heeled boots, Regina headed straight into where the smoke seemed to get thicker, swallowing down a cough. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't concerned, the knot in her stomach only tightening the further she delved into the trees. What had Emma done? Henry had looked so terrified...

"Emma?" She tried calling out into the hazy air, her vision starting to become seriously challenged. Continuing further when she was met with a disappointing silence, he knot in her stomach didn't ease. Though a large part of her was worrying about what she would tell Henry, should she discover the worst, she couldn't deny feeling concerned for the blonde herself. Exactly what had she gotten herself into, this time?

She froze. She could hear it. Weak, muffled impaired vision, she guessed it was coming from somewhere in the near distance, and took a few cautious steps, daintily stepping over dislodged trunks and branches.

"Emma, is that you? Are you hurt?" Regina swallowed hard. She thought back to the last time she'd been alone with the Sheriff. She'd said they were friends, said she wasn't going to give up and, for some reason unknown to herself, she felt compelled to at least attempt to make an effort.

"Leave me alone." The voice was so quiet, so weak that Regina wasn't sure she'd heard it at all. Glancing down, she realised that the ground she walked on was blackened under a covering of ash and as her eyes adjusted through the smoke, she couldn't contain the slight gasp that left her lips. It was as though a crater had landed and exploded in the middle of the forest. There was nothing for as far as she could see, the trees having been ripped form their roots and tossed into the distance. Emma had created a vast clearing, though she wouldn't be sure of the extent of the damage until the smoke had fully cleared.

Squinting through watery eyes, Regina thought she could just make out a solid form in the distance. A tree stump? A rock? She edged closer, cursing silently as she ash stuck to her shoes. They were ruined. She was close enough now to see the object was trembling. Not an object- a person.

"You need to stay back." Emma's hands were curled into herself, tightly balled into fists as she fought against the fear than rippled through her body, bringing with it what felt like an electric current, which threatened to spark from her fingertips.

"And let you continue to destroy everything in your line of sight? I may no longer be the mayor, but I still live here. As do the rest of your family." Ignoring the blonde's pleas, she stepped closer still, crouching down beside her quivering form. Her eyes were screwed up tight with the effort to hold back what was fighting to be released.

Cautiously, Regina reached out, placing a slightly hesitant hand on the quivering woman's shoulder, giving her the gentlest of shakes.

"Don't!" Instantly, Emma sprang from her position, almost toppling over with her eagerness to move away from the former mayor. "I'm not safe."

"Really, Miss Swan?" Kinking one perfectly arched eyebrow, Regina almost scoffed, wondering if Emma was forgetting who was stood in front of her.

"You don't understand. I can't control it."

"Look at me." Unfazed, Regina walked until she was stood barely a foot away from Emma. "You need to calm down and you need to breathe. Slowly."

Emma's watery, aqua eyes met the darker, focused pools that were Regina's, framed with long, thick lashes and just enough eyeliner to accommodate full, red lips. Even after traipsing through the woods, even after the heartbreak with Robin hood, even after busying herself with trying to find a cure to the Snow-Queen's magic and stood there with snowy ash decorating her hair, the former evil queen was still flawless. Not a single smear of lipstick out of line. Emma found herself staring into those eyes and was almost able to believe that Regina could help her, but what she had done to David, what she had done to the town, she couldn't shake the panic.

"I can't...I hurt the people I love. They won't want me around. I'm a threat. I spent all my life wishing for a family and I've ruined it. I've ruined it and now I'm going to end up on my own again." Emma rambled on, her words spilling from her lips faster. She could feel the panic rising once more, magic surging through her veins and she knew she was too exhausted to fight to keep it back. This time it was a flash of orange and Emma's eyes widened in horror as Regina was flung backwards, landing in a crumpled heap a few feet away.

"Emma!" Furious, the brunette pushed herself to her feet, dusting her outfit down, her temper flaring. "You need to listen to me, otherwise it won't get any better. _Stop _thinking like that because it won't happen. I can assure you that your family love you. They aren't going anywhere. But right now, you have to calm down and focus because you're about to-"

"I'm trying! I can't! I can feel it all...It's inside me...I don't know how to hold it back, I'm not strong enough. I'm not like you Regina, I don't have control!"

It was suddenly very windy, Emma's hair whipping up around her face, ash blowing up into both of their eyes. She was frantic, knowing that she was about to cause something catastrophic once more, knowing there was a strong possibility that Regina would be on the receiving end.

Regina knew her approach wasn't working, she knew Emma was panicking. Gritting her teeth together she reminded herself how new Emma was to magic, and she was so powerful. Perhaps she was more powerful than Regina herself, and back in her old world, she'd have given anything to have someone like Emma on her side. It suddenly struck Regina. The Sheriff might not have control, but she did.

"Regina, please. What are you doing? You have to stay back. Just go!"

"I'm going to need you to trust me. Don't fight anything, okay? Hold our your hands."

If Regina could see through the foggy atmosphere, she would have seen the confusion written on Emma's face. But she couldn't. She could barely make out anything other than the Saviour's outstretched hands, which were trembling in a way that told Regina she was running out of strength. She stretched out her own arms until her palms connected with Emma's and closed her eyes.

Emma's magic _was _powerful. It was almost exhilarating to feel it sweep through her being, charging her veins as she absorbed the power that was overwhelming the blonde and understandably so. Regina knew that it was only due to the amount of years she'd had to practice and perfect her skills that she was able to handle it herself. Emma's fingertips slid between the spaces of her own, gripping her hands so tightly it was painful. But Regina didn't comment, she knew the transfer would be uncomfortable and draining for the blonde.

After a time, she felt the Sheriff sag against her and knew she'd probably absorbed enough of the magic for her to be 'stable'. Pushing off against her hands, she broke the contact and focused on creating a fireball the size of the ridiculous yellow bug Emma insisted on driving around, using the pent up energy she'd rid Emma of. Once satisfied that the excess magic was used, she sent the fireball soaring into the air, knowing it was likely that the whole town would be given a show. It exploded around a hundred feet up, a giant firework, the flares burning out long before they'd reach the tops of any remaining trees; meaning nothing should have been harmed. She could help but smile in a smug manner, satisfied with her work, before remembering the reason she'd had to create the flaming sphere in the first place.

Emma was on her hands and knees, shuddering. Her face was pale, but shining with a slick coat of perspiration, her breathing labored. She looked as though she was about to be sick.

"You'll be okay, you just need rest." Regina reassured her, even offering out her hand to assist the blonde. Emma didn't take it.

"Emma, we should get back. There are people who are worried about you."

"Worried about what I'll do next." Emma looked up at Regina, who was shocked to see that her white face was glazed with tears, her eyes shining with those yet to be shed. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, willing herself not to completely fall apart. But she was so exhausted, so overwhelmed with the events of the day.

"How can I face them, now? They'll think I'm a monster. Maybe I am a monster, you saw what I did...What I couldn't control...I hurt my dad, I almost killed Hook, I saw the look on my mother's face and Henry-" She choked on a sob after she'd spoke his name, a pained whimper escaping her lips. "Oh, God...Henry-"

"Has forgiven me for much worse, dear. As have your parents." Regina's practiced, even tone gave no clues to how she felt. Emma was strong, brave, powerful. She always had a plan, always kept it together. Yet here she was, crouched in the ashes of her downfall, sobbing in front of the former Evil Queen. Old Regina would have had a field day.

"But I'm supposed to be the Saviour, that's what they want from me, that's what they expect. Yet again, I'm just another disappointment. It's a good job they have their new kid because I am well and truly-"

"Emma, don't." Regina didn't know where the softness of her tone came from, or why she was suddenly kneeling next to the broken, exhausted woman, with no care for the state of her expensive suit. Because she knew, she knew what it was like to feel like a disappointment, to fall below expectations. And as much as she wished she didn't care, her heart ached for Emma, because she was right. They did understand each other, they were more alike than Regina had ever thought they could be.

"You're enough being just Emma, they way you are, even without 'The Saviour' in your title. You're more than adequate and reliable as the Sheriff, you're hardworking and you're loyal. You fight and you don't give up, even when things seem hopeless. And you're Henry's mother, I've seen you love him enough to break a curse, protect him with your own life. You grew up alone, thinking you were unwanted, without a family. You had your heart broken by someone you thought loved you. Emma, you could have grown up to be the most hard-hearted and selfish woman in Boston but you didn't. You're not a monster, you could never be a monster."

All through Regina's mini-speech, tears fell thick and fast from Emma's closed eyes, falling down her cheeks and washing away tiny circles of ash as they fell to the ground. She chanced a glance at the brunette, expecting to see her eyes void of any emotion, a well practiced pep talk was all it would be, but the chocolate orbs were so sincere and Regina was truly beautiful with a genuine smile curved on her lips.

It was hard to say which one of the women was more shocked when Emma suddenly engulfed her in a hug, strong, lean arms wrapping around her neck while in turn, Regina's found their way around a lithe waist. It was odd, Regina pondered as her fingertips danced soothing circles over the blonde's back without her brain's say-so, that after the years they'd known each other, after everything they'd been through, the two women had never shared something as emotionally or intimately comforting as a hug. She could feel the wetness of Emma's tears against her skin as the blonde's head rested in the crook of her neck and she found that comforting the blonde came as easy and as instinctive as comforting Henry. The fact that Emma was letting herself be soothed by her gave her a sense of being needed in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. Sure, the residents of Storybrooke needed her whenever blame had to be pinned on the latest mishap that had occurred, or when she was expected to figure out how to break curses from Snow Queens, but this was entirely different.

Although she'd never admit it, she was disappointed when Emma pulled away. She argued it was her 'motherly instincts' kicking in when she reached out and brushed a remaining tear from Emma's soft cheek. A faint tinge of pink coloured the Sheriff's skin at such an intimate gesture.

"Thank you," She whispered, sincerely, her eyes staring straight into Regina's as she offered her a grateful smile. The smile was instantly returned as Regina replied.

"What are friends for?"


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n- I didn't expect to get such positive feedback so soon after posting, thank you! This was originally meant to be a one-shot but I felt like it needed another chapter, especially after such kind reviews. I'm not sure whether there will be another chapter after this or whether I'll class it as finished. I'm leaning towards developing a more romantic relationship for our leading ladies. But, we shall see! Thank you for reading, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :) **

Emma choked out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob, half a smile spreading across a teary face.

"I do something evil and you decide we're friends? That figures." But this was only Emma's feeble attempt at a joke, there was no malice in the statement.

"It was hardly evil, dear. You wiped out a little of the forest. I wiped out most of a Kingdome."

"My dad..."

"He's alright." Regina recalled her encounter with Hook before she'd ventured into the forest in search of Emma. "Hook said he was going to be okay. He mentioned Gold, so I'm assuming he played a part in rectifying any damage that was caused."

While the news of her father's state of health relieved Emma, it did nothing to quell the guilt that was bubbling in the pit of her stomach.

"And Hook was okay, too?"

"His remaining limbs were all intact. I think his ego took a little bruising, however. It seems that you gave everyone quite the fright, dear." Regina couldn't help the little smirk that formed across her lips at her words at the thought of the Pirate not being able to handle a woman; though it was about time he was taught that lesson.

Emma didn't catch the smirk, her head was bowed once more, her eyes focused on the ashy ground. She'd turned into a human hurricane and probably let the Snow Queen escape in the process. The town had relied on her, trusted her and she'd let them down. Her eyes screwed shut as she fought against the urge to be sick. With heavy, exhausted limbs and cold sweat trickling down the nape of her neck, she felt as though she was suffering from a bad bout of flu. With added symptoms of guilt, fear and self-loathing.

"You need to rest, we should get back."

At this, Emma shook her head frantically. She couldn't go back. No one would trust her, now. She didn't even trust herself. "I can't, I can't face them. Not now. What if I hurt someone, again?"

Letting out a gentle laugh at Emma's severe lack of judgment, Regina offered out her hand once more after she'd graceful rose to her feet. "If you can even summon up the strength to light so much as a birthday candle, I'll give you my vault."

"That confident?"

"What you need right now is respite, a good night's sleep wouldn't go amiss. My guess is that you're going to be feeling rather ill for the rest of the day. Although judging how utterly dreadful you look, you don't need me to tell you that."

The Sheriff let out an exhausted chuckle, Regina was always going to be Regina and would always get a kick out of even the smallest digs she could sneak into her words. Emma found that she didn't mind, however. It was almost comforting that someone wasn't going to tiptoe around her, it gave a sense of normality to an otherwise upturned day.

Finally accepting Regina's helping hand, she pulled herself up onto trembling limbs, way too fast for her spent form to handle. The ruined forest spun and her knees buckled as she went tumbling into the former mayor, who just about managed to stand her ground.

"Must you be such a reckless lummox?" Regina huffed, firmly pushing the blonde from her chest. There wasn't any anger in her tone, in fact there might have been something possibly bordering on humour, but Emma was too tired to work it out. Instead, she was grateful that Regina grasped her leather-clad arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, tucking her own arm around her lithe waist.

"Regina...Thank you." Emma hoped she would look turn to look at her, so she knew how much she meant it. Regina remained silent as they continued to make their way towards the clearing. "I mean it, you helped me, you really helped me. You didn't have to do that."

The former Evil Queen sighed. It wasn't that she was annoyed, she just didn't know how to take it. Real gratitude, someone being grateful that she'd been around. It wasn't something she was used to. Not since she'd saved Snow White from her near-fate with the rogue horse. It was different because Emma hadn't expected her to help just because it was the 'right thing to do' or saw it fit that she had to help as some sort of redemption for all her previous misdeeds.

"Someone had to step in. The rate you were destroying our forest was simply unsustainable, dear."

"I didn't know you cared so much about the environment." Emma murmured, forcing her wobbling legs to continue on uneven ground.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." Sensing her struggle, Regina automatically tightened her hold, supporting a little more of the Sheriff's weight.

"Maybe I'd like to get to know."

They came to a halt as Regina stopped walking, turning to face Emma with a confused frown etched across her features. "Why on earth would you want to waste your time with that? It would be a long and rather unpleasant ordeal for the both of us. "

"Not everything, I know there'd things you'd probably prefer to keep to yourself. But you're Henry's mother and I guess I'm curious about the things you like to do. What sort of things did you and Henry do together, when he was younger?"

Before Regina could answer, Emma's legs gave way once more and both women had to fight to keep themselves tumbling to the ground.

"Perhaps this conversation would be better saved for a more appropriate time?"

"Sorry..." Emma murmured, wiping her hand over her damp forehead with a little groan of discomfort. She really did feel awful. "Regina, I don't want to face them all like this."

The sentence was spoken so quietly she barely heard her, but felt her weakened body sag slightly. Regina gave a small nod of understanding.

"Keep hold of me and close your eyes."

If she had had the energy, Emma might have argued. But her body felt as though it was made of lead and she could have curled up right there on the forest floor and slept for the rest of the day. As soon as her eyes were closed, she felt he oddest of sensations. The ground seemed to melt away from her feet and for a moment she was floating. Seconds ago she was lead, but now she was feather light. She clutched tighter onto the solid form that was her anchor, worried she'd drift away if she let go.

They were grounded with a jolt, Emma's swaying body kept upright with a firm grip.

"Open your eyes. You can let go now, Emma." Regina's voice sounded close.

Colourful orbs danced in front of her eyes as she allowed them to adjust, having had them screwed tight the moment the ground had fell from her feet. She was stood in the living area of Mifflin Manor and gripping the homeowner as though she was her lifeline. She removed her shaking arms from around the former mayor's waist, taking a cautious step back.

"I feel sick."

"It'll pass, give it a moment. Take a seat, dear."

Rather ungracefully, Emma slumped down into a luxurious couch, letting out a low, satisfied groan as she did. She could seriously sleep here.

"Mom!"

Emma only realised she'd closed her eyes once more when they snapped open.

"I've been here ages! I was worried! Grandpa called and he's fine, now, Gold healed him. But the Snow Queen escaped and everyone's been trying to call you and they were worried, too! Are you okay? Are you both-"

"Henry, slow down!" Regina wrapped her arms around him in a hug, holding him for a moment before taking a small step back. "We're fine, but Emma's exhausted. She needs to rest, okay? You can ask all the questions you like once she's had a rest."

Nodding, Henry turned to his birth mother and gave her a worried smile. She did look tired. Her face was nearing grey and her eyes were tinged with red. Ash decorated her hair and her skin looked clammy.

"Are you...Better now?" Henry looked as though he had struggled to find the right words.

Emma's weary, green eyes had filled with tears once more.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

"Mom, I _know_ you didn't mean to! We all do. We were just worried that you'd get more and more scared and ruin the whole town! And I quite like Granny's burger's so it would have been a complete disaster!" He had a slight grin on his face and Emma let out a little laugh, despite the tears that had slipped down her cheeks. "I was worried when you ran off, I thought that if you couldn't stop it, you'd be hurt."

It was the relief that caused the tears now. Of course her son wouldn't hate her. She wasn't a bad person, she'd been just as scared as the rest of them. She held him tight in the embrace he'd offered without any form of hesitation.

"Henry, why don't you call Mary-Margaret and let her know Emma's safe?"

"Can I watch TV after? I don't have any homework."

At the nod of his adoptive mothers head, he skipped of delightedly, as though it had been any other day in Storybrooke. Although, these types of days were starting to become normal. In fact, a quiet day would seem spectacularly abnormal.

"Can I help you up to the guest room?"

"You're letting me stay here?"

"That was my intention, dear."

Smiling in response, Emma used the arm of the couch to push herself to her feet. The light pressure of Regina's hand against the small of her back guided her upstairs, the brunette taking the lead once they'd reached the top. She showed Emma into a room which was nothing other than magnificent, much like the rest of the manor.

"There's a bathroom just across the hallway, if you want to shower first. "

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Emma was truly exhausted, but she didn't want to climb into the pristine sheets covered in forest dirt and ash.

"I'll bring you something to wear and something to drink." Regina was almost out of the room before Emma called her name. She turned to face her with one eyebrow raised.

"Yes?"

"You're actually really good at the whole 'friend' thing."

The grin on the Sheriff's face was infectious and Regina couldn't help but smile back and this time it did reach her eyes, the skin around them crinkling slightly.

##

While the shower had been running, Regina had left soft, silk pajamas folded neatly on the bed and a tall glass of cold water on the bedside table. She'd changed out of her own outfit and decided it was ruined. She was pretty sure she'd never be able to fully get rid of the dirt that had adorned the knees of the pale trousers and being on the receiving end of Emma's magic had caused her jacket to tear.

She'd taken time in her own bathroom, making sure her hair was fully rid of ash and the smell of burnt forest, before changing into pressed black trousers and a grey silk blouse. The day wasn't over yet and she couldn't be sure that she wouldn't be needed to avert another crisis.

It was on her way to warn Henry that it'd soon be time for lights out, when she heard it. The whimpers were quiet, muffled through the door which was only slightly ajar.

Peering in, she was met with the sight of the Saviour looking nothing like she'd ever seen her before. With her knees drawn to her chest and damp hair tumbling over her shoulders, she looked almost childlike. She was clutching a pillow, tears flowing thick and fast down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly.

"Emma..." The words had left her lips before her brain could tell her to walk away and leave her to it. Maybe she'd wanted to be left alone. No reply came from the former Sheriff, who merely sniffed and wiped at her cheeks.

Pushing her way into the room, Regina perched herself on the edge of the bed, letting out a gentle sigh. "You're supposed to be resting, not working yourself up into a state."

"I know, but I can't stop thinking. I know that my dad's okay, but I still hurt him. I know I didn't mean to, but I still destroyed the town and the forest. I know it wasn't my intention, but I still let the Snow Queen escape. I still messed up, I still let people down, people who put their trust in me. Regardless of whether I'm 'The Saviour' or not, I'm still the Sheriff and I can't even do that properly, anymore." She finished and took a deep, shuddering breath, struggling to swallow down pent up sobs. "I just feel so disgusted with myself, so guilty..." She trailed of, remembering exactly who she was speaking to. "Regina, I'm sorry, I don't mean-"

"Henry and I used to like to feed the ducks." At some point during Emma's sorrowful speech, Regina had swung her legs around onto the bed, her back resting against the cushioned headboard. "He used to like throwing bread to them. But he was a little eager, I used to hang onto the back of his coat worried that he'd propel himself into the water. He especially liked it in spring, when we would see the ducklings. I told him the story of The Ugly Duckling, how he had to move from place to place, but the other animals were mean to him because he didn't fit in. But then he grew up into this beautiful Swan and found his friends and his family. Much so like Storybrooke's very own Emma Swan."

She chanced a glance down at the Saviour, whose eyes were now closed. Though tear tracks still marked her cheeks, her lips were pulled into a soft smile. Her head was only half resting on the soft pillow, she had the side of her face pressed against Regina's side but the former mayor couldn't find it in herself to move her while she looked so content. Besides, she found she didn't mind the comfort of the contact. Without her brain's permission, her hand moved to brush damp, golden locks, which were just starting to curl, away from Emma's face to prevent them from irritating her skin. She was rewarded with a content sigh from the woman who was slowly slipping into a much-needed slumber, feeling her nuzzle further into the silk of her shirt.

Somewhere in the back of her hazy mind, Emma knew she was in this bizarre situation. But it had been too easy to give in to her heavy limbs and weakened muscles, the sound of Regina's voice soothing her almost as much as the precious memory she'd chosen to share with her, touched by the way she'd picked one with such significance, how she'd related her to it at the end. She'd talk to her about it later, thank her for everything she'd done that day, going above and beyond to help her. But for now, almost at the very brink of sleep, all she could do was bring her hand up over the Regina's lap to where her hands were rested and give her fingers a gentle, grateful squeeze.

Had Emma been able to keep herself from the inviting depths of sleep for just a second longer, she may have felt the soft stroke of a thumb across the back of her palm as the other woman returned the gesture.


End file.
